From the
International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences, 2nd Edition

MacMillan Press
(2008)

Heteronormativity

Author: Dr. Jillian
T. Weiss

Coined in 1991 by
Michael Warner, a social critic, this concept refers to pervasive and invisible
norms of heterosexuality – sexual desire exclusively for the opposite sex – embedded
as a normative principle in social institutions and theory, which deems those
who fall outside this standard to be devalued. The concept is useful in attempting to
understand the assumptions upon which heterosexuality rests, and to show how
and why deviations from heterosexual norms are subject to social and legal
sanctions.For example, heteronormativity
assumes a belief in dimorphic sexual
difference (there are two sexes), biological
essentialism (male and female functions are essentially different), and mimetic sex/gender relationship
(psycho-social traits follow anatomy).Those
who deviate from these assumptions by openly preferring romantic partners of
the same sex, who change from one sex to another, or who violate heterosexual
norms in other ways, are marginalized.They are considered by many societies as mentally defective and morally
inferior, subjecting them to street violence, discrimination in employment and
withdrawal of social acceptance.These
assumptions and sanctions force conformity to sexual norms.

This
term is controversial because it suggests to some a condemnation of those who
espouse heterosexuality, or of those who oppose non-heterosexual behavior based
on religious or moral beliefs.Some have
suggested that it is used to enforce “political correctness,” the imposition of
limits on language that is perceived
to marginalize certain cultural groups.This
is correct to some extent, in that the concept of heteronormativity focuses on
the exclusivity of heterosexual norms. Thus, the concept includes criticism of
those who disapprove of non-heterosexual behavior.The real question here is whether such
criticism is justified.It is justified
to some extent because it is often difficult for those in the majority heterosexual
culture to realize the extent to which their culture routinely pervades society
and constantly creates and enforces norms that marginalize non-heterosexual
behavior.Normative heterosexual culture
pressures all to conform, or at least to hide their differences, because those
outside the norms are perceived as “strange.”The normative culture also erases the extent to which it makes
heterosexuality an issue.Because
heterosexuality is the order of things, it seems as if non-heterosexuals make
an issue of their sexuality, but heterosexuals do not, as illustrated by this quote
from Michaelangelo Signorile (1993) about the pervasiveness and invisibility of
heterosexual norms.

“These heterosexuals
don’t realize that they routinely discuss aspects of their own sexuality every
day:telling coworkers about a vacation
they took with a lover; explaining to their bosses that they’re going through a
rough divorce; bragging to friends about a new romance.Heterosexual reporters have no problem asking
heterosexual public figures about their husbands, wives, girlfriends, boyfriends
or children—and all these questions confirm and make an issue of
heterosexuality.The ultimate example of
making an issue of heterosexuality is the announcements in the newspapers every
Sunday that heterosexuals are getting married.”

Signorile, Michelangelo. 1993. Queer in America:Sex, the Media and the Closets of Power. Madison: University
of Wisconsin Press (at
xvii).